SWANS AND GEESE. 
15 
THE MUTE OK TAME SWAN. 
(Cygnus olor.) 
This is the best known of all ornamental Water' 
fowl, and the earliest introduced, if it is true that it was 
first brought to England by our warrior monarch, 
Richard the Lion-hearted, who may thus claim to have 
been a fancier, like King Solomon, who imported Pea- 
cocks to adorn his court. And through all succeeding 
centuries the chaste and stately beauty of this noble bird 
has secured its position as the king of ornamental fowl. 
It is distinguished from all other Swans by the bare 
skin of the face and the knob of the bill being black, 
while the bill itself, except the nostrils, edges, and top, 
which are also black, is orange red. The female is 
smaller, floats lower in the water, and has a slighter neck 
than her mate ; she is known as the “ pen,” the male 
being the “ cob.” The cygnets are grey at first, with 
grey knobless bills, and do not become white till two 
years old. But there is a variety known as the Polish 
Swan, and formerly considered a distinct species, in 
which the cygnets are white from the first, while the 
knob of the bill is smaller and the feet paler than in the 
typical bird. This variety breeds true and should be 
encouraged, as the cygnets do not have to pass through 
any “ ugly duckling” stage, but assume almost their full 
beauty with their first feathering. It should be noted 
that cygnets in their first year, if well fed, are very good 
eating. 
The Mute Swan ranges across Europe to South-eastern 
Siberia and North-western India, where it is rare, Swans 
being imported from Europe and sold at high prices to 
wealthy natives. It is doubtfully wild in England, so 
many unpinioned birds being at large, but it breeds in a 
truly wild state no further off than Denmark and South 
Sweden. The young are generally hatched in England 
about the end of May, and during the breeding season 
the old birds are very vicious, and should be approached 
with caution. They attack with their wings, having 
little power in the bill. 
THE BLACK SWAN. 
( Chenopis atrata.) 
This species, once the type of the inconceivable, and 
now one of the best known ornamental birds, is, as every- 
body knows, a native of Australia. It is considerably 
smaller and slighter than the common Swan, though it 
will boldly stand up to that bird on occasion. There is 
no knob on the bill, the neck is particularly long, and 
rather shaggily feathered, and the inner wing feathers 
are elegantly crimped. The plumage is coal black with 
white flights, and red bill, and bare streak on the face. 
I can find no description of the first plumage, but believe 
it is merely lighter. 
The black Swan ought to be kept more largely than it 
is. Being smaller and a better walker, it needs less 
water than the common Swan, and from its colour does 
not soil in a smoky atmosphere, while it has a quaint 
grace of form peculiarly its own, and a pleasant note, 
quite unlike the snuffling croak of its otherwise more 
dignified rival. 
It is also a very good breeder, will bring off two broods 
a year, and may breed in almost any month and rear- 
young in mid-winter. It has never become very cheap, 
so would pay to rear better than the white. 
The ordinary wild Swans of England, the Whooper 
(Cygnus musicus) and Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus bevncki), 
are not so often kept ; both are white when adult, with 
knobless bills, black at the end and bright yellow at the 
root, this colour extending over the bare skin of the face. 
The young are grey. Their carriage is far less graceful 
than tliat of the Mute and black Swans, as they keep 
their necks straight. Bewick’s Swan is smaller and has 
less yellow on the bill than the Whooper. 
Other less common Swans are the beautiful black- 
necked Swan ( Cygnus melamoryphus) of South America, 
with its white body beautifully set-off by its black neck 
and grey bill, with a red knob and face-patch ; it 
is about the size of the black Swan. 
Another South American Swan, the Coscoroba (Cosco- 
robn Candida) is now often offered for sale ; it is only as 
big as a small goose, white with black tips to the flights, 
and pinky-red bill and feet ; there is no bare patch on 
the face .in this species, and its neck is shorter and its 
legs longer than usual ; but it has the true Swan 
carriage. 
CHAPTER III. 
THE TRUE GEESE. 
The Geese are very widely kept on ornamental waters, 
but they require a wide range to show to advantage 
and not interfere with each other. They are mostly 
land-birds in habit, not swimming so much as the rest 
of their family, and vegetarian feeders, living mainly on 
grass. Male and female are alike, and both tend the 
goslings, which, with the sitting, may well be left in 
their charge. If kept in enclosures, only one pair should 
be put in each, and plenty of grazing space allowed. It 
will be seen that on the whole they are only suitable 
Pair or Sebastopol Geese. 
(Photograph from Life.) 
where there is plenty of room. The old birds should 
receive some grain daily as well as their grazing, and 
the goslings bread-crumbs and meal. Geese all have 
short stout bills, with the nostrils in the centre, and 
stand high on the legs ; they walk well, with a 
peculiar swaying gait, and swim very high in the stern. 
They are all brown or grey in plumage, with lighter 
edgings to the body-feathers, and white sterns. The 
young are much like the old birds. Most will breed 
well in captivity, and all nest on the ground. They are, 
of course, good eating, but the fancy breeds will hardly 
“go to pot ! ” 
THE GREY GOOSE. 
Under this head I propose to treat of several species 
of British Geese, which are not among the most popular 
ornamental kinds,, and which it would be a waste of 
space to describe separately. First, we have the Grey- 
lag, the ancestor of our tame European Geese (Anser 
ferns). This bird is distinguished by its flesh-coloured 
feet and French-grey shoulders ; the bill is either flesh- 
coloured or orange, without any black. It will cross 
readily with its descendant, the tame Goose, than which 
it is considerably smaller in size, and, of course, lighter 
in make. 
